Does Nicki Minaj’s profanity-laced outburst on the set of American Idol raise questions about whether she’s right for the family-friendly singing competition?

With a career as a no-holds-barred rapper, Minaj – who is heard on the tape saying to fellow new judge Mariah Carey, “I’m not f–––in’ putting up with her f–––ing highness over there” – brings a previously unseen edge to Fox’s hit show. But her on-set antics haven’t been received well by all.

Barbara Walters recounted speaking to Carey about the incident on The View Thursday. “[Mariah] said that what you heard was troublesome, but that’s not what worries her,” Walters told the audience. “When Nicki walked off the set, people heard her say if she had a gun she would ‘shoot that b––h.’ “

Minaj took to Twitter Thursday to refute Walters’s and Carey’s claims of any threats of gun violence. “Hey yAll. Lets just say Nicki said smthn about a gun. ppl will believe it cuz she’s a black rapper. Lmao. I’ll then hit up Barbara n milk it,” she Tweeted.

“Ironically no camera or mic heard the gun comment tho. Lol @ the struggle. Not even the producers believed u. Say no to violence barbz,” Minaj continued. (Minaj refers to her fans as Barbz.)

In this feud between two new American Idol judges, whose side are you taking? Should Nicki Minaj just walk away from this newfound career; or should Mariah Carey just welcome her with open arms? Feel free to share your thoughts about this latest celebrity beef!

Nicki Minaj derailed the “American Idol” auditions in Charlotte, North Carolina Tuesday, after swearing at Mariah Carey and threatening, “I’m gonna knock you out” … but Mariah FIRED RIGHT BACK with insults of her own. In a footage obtained by TMZ, Nicki is clearly furious … shouting, “I told them I’m not f*ckin’ putting up with her f**kin’ highness over there.”

Mariah can be heard saying, ““Oh why, WHYYYY .do I have a three year old sitting around me?” Carey continues, “I can’t see my kids, because you decided to act like a little crazy bitch and go all around the stage.”

We’re told the whole thing exploded over a disagreement over a contestant’s performance.

Nicki: Think I’m playin? Think this sh*t is a f*cking joke? Think it’s a joke? Think it’s a joke? Think it’s a joke? Say one more disrespectful thing to me, if you say one more disrespectful thing to me — off with your head!

Mariah: I am not being disrespectful.

Nicki: Off with your head, off with your head.

Nicki: Don’t tell me I’m insecure, don’t tell me I’m inadequate … you gonna get sent [inaudible] just fall back; don’t … you don’t know [inaudible] I don’t feel inadequate. You’re the insecure one sittin’ up there running down her resume every five minutes.

According to our friends at MouthToEars.com, producers ended the auditions for the day so the two judges could cool down. We’ve confirmed that happened. Big wigs on the show seem uncharacteristically upset by the blow up. It seems producers are worried about Mariah and Nicki co-existing for the long haul.

Do you think this feud between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey was just staged for publicity? Dish out your comments on this latest celebrity beef!

Mariah Carey wasted no time proving what we told you 2 weeks ago — there’s only room for one diva on “American Idol.”

Carey and Nicki Minaj went at it during the first “A.I.” taping Sunday in NYC. When Nicki started critiquing a contestant, Mariah would interrupt — not once, but many times. Each time Mariah interrupted, Nicki fought back by loudly talking over Mariah. How about that? Tell us if that isn’t an obvious sign of thick hostility!

One “A.I.” spy said Mariah and Nicki tried to cover their disdain for each other but everyone saw through it, adding, “These girls just don’t like each other.”

You may recall, we reported when producers called Mariah to tell her that Nicki would probably be joining her as a judge, she hung up the phone.

What do you think will be the future of American Idol with Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj both jumping at each other’s neck every single moment? Should AI just boot either Mimi or Her Minajesty, or should the show just throw both of them out? Feel free to share your thoughts with us via the comment box below and tell us which diva are you siding with!

Lopez, out. Carey, in. One pop diva will replace another on American Idol next season as Mariah Carey said Monday she’s signed on as a judge.

The deal was announced with show biz flair at the Television Critics Association summer tour in Beverly Hills during comments by Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly about the exodus of Idol judges. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have both quit, and Randy Jackson is said to be on the bubble.

“We do, in fact, have one judge whose deal closed very, very recently,” Reilly told reporters at the Beverly Hilton. “It’s an artist that many contestants have tried to emulate, have tried to have sung the songs, have tried to hit the notes and because it really was concluded only hours ago, our judge couldn’t be with us.”

He then put a phone call on speaker phone, and Carey’s voice could be heard: ”I am so excited to be joining Idol,” she said. “First of all, I wanted to be there today and I wish I could’ve been there to tell you, but I think you know this all kind of just happened real quickly, so I can’t wait to get started in a couple months.”

Will Mariah Carey be just like J.Lo as an ‘Idol’ judge? Or would she be a tad different? Tell us about your expectations for the new American Idol judge!

Steven Tyler is going back to his day job. After two seasons as a judge on American Idol, the Aerosmith frontman says he won’t be returning to the reality show and will, instead, be focusing once again on his band.

“After some long … hard … thoughts … I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit,” the rocker said in a statement Thursday. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”

Tyler’s announcement comes amid continued chatter that Jennifer Lopez will not be returning to the popular Fox show. “I am thinking that it’s time for me to go,” she recently said about tackling a third season.

In making his departure announcement, Tyler also reveals that Aerosmith is releasing a new album on Nov. 6. And he feels revitalized: ”The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass,” he says in his statement. “Idol was over-the-top fun, and I loved every minute of it. … Now it’s time to bring rock back.” And his decision is supported by Idol‘s producers.

What do you like most about Steven Tyler as an ‘Idol’ judge? Do you prefer him to be rockin’ and rollin’ with Aerosmith over being an ‘Idol’ judge? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box below!

The American Idol winner Phillip Phillips dazzled viewers all season long, despite battling chronic kidney problems – and having eight separate surgeries – since the competition began, his father told PEOPLE Wednesday after an eventful finale.

“He’s been doing [well], but it’s just grueling hours and it’s just amazing what he’s done through the journey,” said the singer’s dad, also named Phillip Phillips, at the show’s official Ford-sponsored after party. “Eight operations since we started American Idol … He’s hitting 50 percent, but he’s still up there swinging away.”

The younger Phillips, 21, suffered with a build up of kidney stones and underwent multiple operations to remove them. In the next few weeks, after another surgery to reconstruct his kidneys, he is expected to make a full recovery in time for the Idols Live tour.

“The recovery’s probably two to four weeks,” said his father. “He’s healthy, he’s good. His kidneys are good. I can’t wait for America and the whole world to see him [after his surgery], because he’s a big cut-up. He’s going to have some fun.”

The singer himself told reporters Wednesday that the problems were a struggle but that he had the support to get through them.

Did you vote for Phillip Phillips in the American Idol show? Tell us what you love most about him!

Jessica Sanchez was greeted with open arms when she returned to Chula Vista, Calif., for American Idol‘s hometown heroes week.

Cheered by thousands of fans, the finalist waved as she rode through town in a car with her two little brothers into Eastlake High School’s stadium on Saturday.

“I feel amazing,” Sanchez, 16, said as she made her way to the stadium’s stage. “I’m so happy to represent Chula Vista. It was the people. I missed the people so much. I love you guys. Thank you for all the support.”

With the town’s mayor declaring May 12 as “Jessica Sanchez Day,” the singer sang four songs, including Whitney Houston’s ”I Will Always Love You.” But it was one of her following performances at the USS Midway Museum that turned emotional. Sanchez invited her dad on stage to sang a rendition of Luther Vandross’s “Dance with My Father.” Her dad, a member of the U.S. Navy, is being deployed to Singapore.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, fellow finalists Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips also headed home to film segments that will be featured on Wednesday’s episode of Idol.

Who’s your bet for this season’s American Idol? Share your thoughts with us!

American Idol‘s lucky seven had a mostly fantastic night on Wednesday. But when everyone does well, it only makes elimination night harder.

It’s true that top contenders at this point in the competition have been eliminated. It happened to Jennifer Hudson, who performed “Think Like a Man” with Ne-Yo on Thursday. Then again, it also happened to Sanjaya Malakar. Ryan called the contestants out one by one and divided them in two groups: Hollie Cavanagh, Phillip Phillips and Colton Dixon on one side of the stage and Jessica Sanchez, Elise Testone and Joshua Ledet on the other. Well, Skylar was declared safe. Then, Ryan put her with Hollie, Phillip and Colton, meaning the four of them would be back next week.

“I’ve never seen this happen,” an irate Randy Jackson said of having two frontrunners – Jessica and Joshua – in the bottom with Elise. “This is a ridiculous bottom three … [America] got it wrong tonight, so wrong.”

He was even more appalled when Jessica, who has yet to miss a step this season, was announced to be the contestant with the lowest number of votes. While Jessica performed her last-chance song, the judges stormed the stage and stopped her. Jennifer Lopez shouted, “Gimme that mic! This is crazy … you ain’t going home! Go sit down!”

Then Randy made it official: “We are saving Jessica without any doubt,” he said, “This girl is one of the best singers in America ever!”

Was Jessica surprised to be at risk to leave the show in seventh place? “Not at all,” she told Ryan. “I don’t expect anything. I just do what I do. Whatever happens happens. I just want people to know I’ve been working hard my whole life.”

The title says “It’s Not Goodbye,” but it sure felt like it. American Idol runner-up David Archuleta posted a YouTube video today giving his last word to all his fans that have followed him throughout his journey before he starts a new chapter as a Mormon missionary.

“It’s been a very emotional last week,” he says. ”I was able to have a lot of family and a lot of friends come. I gave my farewell, kind of last talk this Sunday to my neighbors, my friends and my family…It’s a decision everyone knows about but it’s a very personal thing and I wanted to keep it that way. So I hope you guys respect that, and you guys have so I appreciate that.”

Archuleta explained that packing and getting ready has been “quite the task” and that he’s going to miss talking to everybody and sharing “weird, random things that I’m doing or thinking about.”

The singer will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at an undisclosed country and reportedly entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, today as a precursor to the assignment. David closes the video with, “I will see you all in two years. God bless.”